1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a rotary switch and an electronic timepiece.
2. Description of the Related Art
For example, an electronic wristwatch is configured such that the stem is pulled outward to a predetermined position and rotated so that the hands thereof move corresponding to the rotation of the stem for time adjustment. As a time adjusting device for an electronic wristwatch such as this, a device configured as described in United States Patent Application No. 2008/0112275 is known in which the wristwatch case is provided with a stem that is movable to a first position and a second position in the axial direction thereof and rotatable in the direction of rotation around the axis of the stem, and magnetic sensors positioned in the circumferential direction of magnets provided in the stem are provided inside the wristwatch case.
This stem is, after a timepiece module is attached to the wristwatch case, inserted into a through-hole in the wristwatch case from the outer side of the wristwatch case. Therefore, in the case of a structure where the magnets are fixed to the stem, large magnets cannot be attached, and as a result, the rotation of the stem cannot be detected with high accuracy.
Also, in Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open (Kokai) Publication No. 60-78547, a rotary switch that operates by magnetic force is described. In this known rotary switch, a permanent magnet is attached to a rotor plate rotatably held inside the timepiece case, and a projecting section is provided on the inner tip of the crown. When the knob of the crown is pulled out to the outside of the timepiece case, the projecting section on the inner tip of the crown faces a contact section of the permanent magnet. Then, when the knob is rotated in this state, the projecting section of the crown comes into contact with the contact section of the permanent magnet, and the permanent magnet rotates with the rotation of the crown.
In this switch device, when the knob is pulled out, there is a possibility that the projecting section and the contact section collide depending on the positional relationship between the projecting section and the contact section. Therefore, there is a problem that the projecting section or the permanent magnet is deformed or damaged thereby.